Signs, symptoms and treatment of sciatica

Sciatica is a very common disease, which gives patients a lot of discomfort and severe pain. This disease is familiar to medicine for a long time, and in its study of doctors put a lot of time and effort. And it was not in vain, because in our time people with sciatica is targeted assistance, which quickly puts them on his feet.

In the medical literature there are many synonyms of this disease, but the most common radiculopathy and radicular syndrome.

As you know, the symptoms of sciatica are varied, but they all converge to one thing, the main point, the syndrome – painful.

Classification ICD-10

because the problem of sciatica relevant in the world, it is included in the General register of diseases, called ICD-10. International classification of diseases (ICD) allows for convenient structuring of disease, but also clearly delineate pathology.

Radiculopathy, as a separate nosological form, can be found in the ICD-10 code M54.1. Through IBC also have statistics on the morbidity among the population. For this purpose in the General register of the morbidity entered a special code pathology from this classification.

Due to the rapid development of medicine, good structuring disease in ICD-10 and many other factors of radiculopathy in our time has become not the biggest, but still important to study the problem. First you need to understand that sciatica is not pain, but more than that.

The Signs of sciatica can be very blurred, which complicates the correct diagnosis. For medical practices only one classification ICD-10 is not enough, so clinicians use and topographic classification of radiculopathy.

so the new versions of the topographic localization show that there are 5 main types of radiculopathy:

• neck;
• breast;
• lumbar
• lumbosacral
• mixed.

Clinical classification is very easy to use and helps doctors to differentiate different types of pathology, because each of its forms has its own characteristics. When the local classification does not conflict with ICD-10, which positively affects the diagnosis with a clearly defined identity.

Etiology and the most frequent causes of pathology

Causes of radicular syndrome, there are many, so take just some of them:

1. spinal injury and back;
2. compression fractures
3. ionizing radiation
4. severe autoimmune disease;
5. some genetic disease;
6. congenital abnormalities and defects of development;
7. pregnancy
8. old age
9. harsh working conditions, especially physical labor
10. degenerative disc disease
11. osteoporosis
12. endocrine pathology
13. cancer metastasis
14. progressive tumor
15. sedentary lifestyle
16. tuberculosis of bones and other infections.

Each of these reasons can serve as the initiator of inflammation. Therefore, identification of the causes of sciatica are very complex and unpredictable. But at the same time treatment of sciatica depends on the original reason.

the Pathogenesis and mechanism of development

Each of the above etiological factors acting on the human body differently, so the specific pathogenesis of each time. But there are basic mechanisms of development of radicular syndrome.

so, after the actions of malicious factor spinal root that exits the spinal cord and goes through the intervertebral foramen, is cramping. Often the jamming occurs at the narrowest point in its course – in the intervertebral foramen.

Strangulated spine gradually loses its function, it begin to "thrive" inflammatory processes. As soon as there is an inflammatory process, immediately comes the pain. Pain is different and depends on location of damage.

Symptoms and diagnosis